Changing the Game
by NoviceWordsmith15
Summary: Castle & Beckett are in LA investigating Mike Royce's murder. This is my take on what might have happened in Season 3, Episode 22, if Castle was still on the couch when Kate came back out of her room in the hotel suite. Mature Audiences only please, NC-17 content.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi All, this is my very first Castle fan fic. I have a lot more ideas, but this one felt like a good place for me to start. I am writing this story from the perspective that Josh is not in the picture for Beckett - for the sake of where this story goes and to keep her integrity, we assume that Castle and Kate are both completely single while in LA. I do not have plans to continue this story, I wanted to write a one-shot and see what people thought. Please let me know if you like it! PLEASE NOTE: This is for mature audiences only, it has an NC-17 rating for both sexual content and language.**

Kate stands just inside her room in the hotel suite. She falls back against the door and sighs heavily. She runs her palms over her face and up through her hair. What just happened? She's fighting every fiber in her body right now to run back out to Castle and kiss him with all that she has. She knows that her reluctance doesn't come from a fear of rejection, it comes from the fear of letting herself fall, only to later lose him.

She flew out to LA to investigate Mike Royce's murder. Coming here after being advised to stay away from the investigation was a risky move, but she couldn't stay away; she needs to find justice for Royce. She knew that Castle made up an excuse to be able to tag along, but there is a part of her that is glad he is here. Sure, he is a handful, an annoyance, but even she will admit - to herself, never to him - that it is comforting to have him here.

So many feelings have surfaced during this trip to the west coast. Feelings for Royce; feelings for Castle; feelings that have her questioning what is most significant in life, especially to her.

* * *

><p>Her mind drifts back to just a few moments ago. She sat in the suite lobby twirling her fingers in her hair, shamelessly flirting with Castle as he revealed that she was the mystery he thought he'd never be able to solve. He told her how amazed he was by the depths of her strength, her heart…and her hotness. Leave it to Castle to infuse humor into a heartfelt sentiment.<p>

He has such a wonderful way with words, he is a writer after all, but she truly loves how his words make her feel. She knows that no matter how cheesy they might be, they are genuine. He thinks the world of her, and cares for her more deeply than she can comprehend. This scares her in so many ways. She is in love with Castle, but she suppresses her feelings for him in an attempt to make them go away. Although her mother's murder happened more than 10 years ago, the pain is still so raw, so fresh. She knows another loss of that magnitude could shatter her very existence. But still, there is hesitation. Castle knows her so well, even better than she knows herself at times. Maybe he is different. Maybe he won't become disinterested in her. Maybe he won't leave. Maybe...

There's an electricity between them, even she can't deny it. The longing is evident in both of their eyes. Just five more seconds, maybe only three more seconds, who knows what could happen. Instead of finding out, Kate does the only thing she knows how to do; she evades. She knows how Castle feels about her. Anyone who doesn't know by now is clearly not paying attention, but she couldn't act on it. She is so afraid. She knows if she lets Castle in, that will be it. He'll fracture the wall eventually. He's the one person that can break her, and it scares her to death.

* * *

><p>Shaking her head, and bringing herself back to the present, she takes a deep breath. Slowly, she reaches for the door handle. Her hand sits idly on the knob, but does not turn it. She's trying to rationalize her fear, but it's been so long since she's let herself even think about someone in this way. Maybe now is the time, maybe now she needs to let herself feel again, to love, truly and without reservation. It's risky, but she's tired of hurting; she's tired of hiding. Traitorous thoughts begin flooding her mind. What if? What if she tries, it could be great. He could make me believe in love again. She closes her eyes, and before she can process what she's doing, she begins to turn the knob and step through to the common area. It's too late to go back now. She slowly lifts the lids on her eyes as she pushes the door open the rest of the way. Castle is still sitting on the couch. He hears the door open and his head snaps up, his eyes meet hers.<p>

"Kate, are you ok?" he asks, concern evident in his voice.

She doesn't answer him. She feels as if she's lost all control over her own body. He stares at her, his head following her every move as she slowly walks over to where he's sitting on the couch, and sits down next to him.

He begins to speak again, "Kate, I...", she quickly puts one index finger over his lips, a silent plea to quiet his words. Their eyes stay fixed on each other. Castle gently takes her hand and slowly brings it to his heart.

Kate brings her other hand up to Castle's cheek. She begins to softly stroke his stubbled cheek and chin, never taking her eyes from his.

Castle decides that he is going to take the leap. She's been rejecting him constantly up until this point, what's one more rejection if she's not really thinking what her actions are clearly conveying? He closes his eyes and unhurriedly begins to lean in towards Kate; his lips calmly searching for hers. Kate closes her eyes and slowly begins to move forward. She can feel his chest pounding against her hand. She can't help but smile. As they inch in closer, she begins to feel his breath on her skin. Her heart is beating rapidly in anticipation of feeling Castle's lips on her own.

It feels as if time stops when lightly, their lips touch. The kiss begins chaste and simple, but after a few short seconds, their lips part in unison, their breath ragged and full of want. Castle begins to run his tongue across her bottom lip, his breath catching as he realizes who he is kissing. Beckett opens her mouth and allows Castle's tongue to dance with hers. She gently bites his bottom lip and then smoothly runs her tongue across the spot she just nibbled. Castle lets out a moan, clearly turned on by what Beckett is doing to him with her mouth. He moves his free hand to the back of Kate's head. He runs his fingers through her hair and holds her head steady to his. Their kisses become more passionate and intense as nearly four years of tension and anticipation melt away.

As the need for oxygen arises, they break the kiss. Their foreheads touch, eyes remain closed, and their breathing is shallow and heavy.

"Wow," Kate says, trying to steady her breathing.

"I know," Castle stutters.

Kate begins to unbutton Castle's shirt, but as she struggles with the second button, Castle grabs both of her wrists and pulls back to look into her eyes. His eyes are dark and filled with lust, but a look of uncertainty flashes across his face. Kate looks at him with a hint of embarrassment and surprise. She isn't sure what to think. Does he not like it?

"Kate, I can't do this if this is just going to be a one-time thing. I...I'm so in love with you Kate, and it would kill me to be with you like this if it doesn't mean the same to you as it does to me," Castle looks into her eyes, baring his soul.

Kate smiles, and then sighs. She bends forward so that her forehead is resting against his. She closes her eyes and, despite her fear, tells him exactly how she feels. "Castle...Rick, I know I haven't made this easy for you, for us. I've been stubborn, scared, and resistant to taking our relationship to the next level. I made a decision tonight to let you in. This is huge for me, I'm terrified Castle, I'm afraid of letting you in only to lose you. I love you too, so very much, and I don't want this just for tonight. I want to be with you for as long as you'll have me."

Castle is stunned by what he is hearing. He's grown accustomed to Beckett being so closed-off, careful with her heart, and so very private. She's finally letting her guard down and sharing her feelings with him. She's risking her heart for him. For once, Castle is at a loss for words.

He releases her wrists and pulls her in close to hold her. She snuggles into him and can't help but grin from ear to ear.

"Kate, I'm speechless. I mean, do you know how long I've waiting for you to trust me with your heart? I will never intentionally hurt you Kate. I want to take care of you. I want to be here for you, whenever you need me, always" Castle expressed.

"Good, well since it seems we're on the same page, are you ok with this now, or are you going to push me away again?", Kate chuckles, pulling herself back from his chest to look into his eyes.

Castle's expression relaxes, and suddenly Kate stands up. She pushes Castle back against the couch and straddles his hips. Grabbing the bottom hem of her shirt, she pulls it up and over her head and throws it to the floor.

She captures his face with both of her hands, presses her lips into his, then lightly bites his bottom lip again, knowing that he liked that gesture from her earlier. She glides her hands up the sides of his face and gently clenches his hair in her fingers. She begins kissing his neck, peppering his jaw with wet open-mouth kisses, and sucking gently on his earlobe.

Castle's hands snake around her waist and he begins running his hands all over her soft skin. Up her sides, down her back, and then he moves his hands over her pants, cupping her ass.

Beckett grinds her hips into Castle's growing erection. Castle can't take it, she's driving him insane.

Castle scoots himself forward so that he can stand. He places his hands under her thighs to support her as he stands up. Kate reaches her arms around his neck, and nuzzles her face into his ear. She wraps her legs around his waist as he stumbles to his side of the hotel suite.

Castle fumbles around once he reaches the door to his room trying to find the knob. Once he's found it, he turns the handle and kicks the door open with a thud. He walks them over to the bed and gently lays Beckett down on her back as he hovers over her, placing most of his weight onto his forearms. He breaks their kiss to gaze into her eyes. She looks amazing. Her hair is splayed out on the pillow, her cheeks flushed, her eyes burning with lust.

Slowly Beckett reaches up and begins unbuttoning Castle's shirt again. She watches her hands work down his shirt while his eyes do not leave her face.

"God Kate, you're beautiful," he confesses.

"You're not so bad yourself Castle, but you're wearing too many clothes at the moment," she says with a devious grin.

"Let's see what we can do about that," he responds, his breath catching in his throat as her fingers brush over his shoulders to push his shirt off of him.

He wraps his arms around her back and lifts her just enough to unclasp her bra. She shimmies her arms and shoulders to help him remove it completely, and she now lays there naked from the waist up in front of him. She feels a bit vulnerable, but she trusts Castle.

Slowly, Kate moves her hands down to his waist. She runs one hand over his length through his jeans. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as she teases him. She deftly unbuttons his pants, slides his zipper down, and hooks her fingers into his belt loops. She adeptly pushes his pants down his legs, taking his silk boxers with them.

As his erection springs free, her eyes get wide, and she lets out a small moan.

"Oh god Castle. I had my suspicions, but wow," she says, impressed by his endowment.

He smiles down at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges.

She grabs his hard length with one hand and begins stroking it, applying just a little bit of pressure. With her other hand she tickles his scrotum with her fingernails.

"K..Kate," Castle chokes out. "I love what you're doing to me, I do, but if you keep that up, this will be over before we even get started, and that's not what I have in mind for you, for us, tonight."

She moves her hands up to his face, cupping his cheeks. She looks into his eyes, taking in the gravity of what she is about to do with him.

"Castle, make love to me. I want to be with you tonight, in every way," she tells him, her eyes blazing with desire.

His mouth is on hers in an instant. He lets some of his weight off of his forearms, and he begins to grind his erection into her pubic bone, putting the perfect amount of pressure into just the right spot. She still has her pants on, but by the noises she is eliciting, he is pretty sure that she's liking this.

The room is hot, they begin to sweat, and their breath turns heavy and harsh. Their tongues duel as their kiss deepens and becomes more passionate and eager.

Castle breaks the kiss and begins pressing wet, open-mouth kisses along her jaw. He finds a spot, just behind her ear that seems to drive her crazy, but he decides to revisit that a little later. For now, he continues his journey down her body. He begins to gently massage her breasts and takes one of her nipples into his mouth.

She gasps at the sensation of his tongue circling her nipple, flicking back and forth across the hardened peak.

"Oh god Castle, that feels soooo good," She breathes.

Suddenly his mouth is off of her, and moving down, down, down to the place he most desires. He props himself up on his knees and hooks his fingers into the waistband of her pants. He slowly slides them down along with her panties, and pulls them over her feet. He discards them on the floor, and begins kissing up her calves, and then her thighs.

They are both completely naked, _finally_. Castle gently takes one finger and runs it down the inside of her folds. Beckett arches her back in response and lets out a pleasing growl.

Castle slowly moves his head down between her thighs. He pushes two fingers into her depths while placing his tongue inside of her folds. He begins to taste every bit of her. He finds her clit and circles his tongue around it. A satisfying moan comes from deep in her throat that takes Castle's arousal up a notch.

He gently curls his fingers and begins pumping them in and out of her. His tongue making deliberate movements over her clit, and around her folds as she groans in pleasure.

"Castle, this feels amazing, I'm so close, but right now I want you. I need you inside of me." Kate begs, her voice desperate. "Let me ride you, I want to be on top, please Castle, let me feel you deep inside of me."

He didn't have to be asked twice. Castle smoothly rolls to his side and turns them over so that he is now on his back, and she is hovering above him.

Kate takes one leg and swings it over him, straddling his hips. She moves forward and feels his throbbing erection at her entrance. She slides back and forth over him, running his length in between her folds, teasing him, soaking his shaft in her wetness.

"Kate, oh god, that feels so good, but if you don't put me inside of you now, I'm going to have to take over," Castle warned.

Beckett tilts her hips slightly back, and slowly pushes herself down on his length. Down, down, down, she sinks onto his cock. Every pleasing inch filling her more and stretching her to her limit. They let out simultaneous groans as they join as one.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," Castle repeats over and over. Still reeling from the fact that he's making love to Kate - _his Kate_, after nearly four years of chasing her.

Kate begins to ride him, she moves her hips back and forth, and uses her legs to lift herself up and then slide back down onto his cock. She brings her hands up to her breasts and begins playing with her nipples. Castle's mouth drops open at the sight of her touching herself.

"Kate, I can't hold on much longer, you're driving me insane," Castle moans, holding back with everything he has so that she can cum first.

"I'm so close Castle, so close," she breathes.

"Cum for me Kate, I want you to let yourself go for me," Castle says through gritted teeth, trying to stifle his own climax.

"Oh god, Castle, oh god, Rick, oh god, oh god," Kate screams. Her walls tighten around him and she shatters. She doesn't hold anything back. She lets herself go completely. She puts her hands on his chest as she rides out the waves of her orgasm.

Castle watches as she comes down from her high. He slowly turns his torso, while his hands rest around her back, and skillfully turns them so that he is now on top again, and she is laying on her back. She looks up at him and smiles.

"That was smooth," she tells him, impressed by how effortless he was able to move them around.

"I need to be as close to you right now as I can. I need to feel your skin against me, your heart beating, and your breath on my cheek," Castle confesses as he looks into her eyes.

He captures her lips with his, an electricity sizzling between them. He breaks their kiss and looks at her while gently swiping his hand over her forehead, pushing a few locks of hair out of her eyes.

"You're the most amazing woman I've ever known. I will never get enough of you, enough of this. I want to share everything with you Kate," Castle professes.

Their hands find each others' above her head, and their fingers intertwine. Castle closes his eyes and lays his forehead against hers. He slowly begins moving in and out of her. He pulls himself almost all the way out, and then glides back in, slowly, deeply, as deep as he can. She moans at the sensation of him filling her. He growls at how good this feels, being inside of her, the woman he's been in love with for so many years.

"I'm close Kate, are you still ok with this?," he asks her, making sure she is ok with what they've started.

"Rick, I want to feel you cum inside of me," Kate confides.

He smiles and begins to move faster, his forehead still gently pressed against hers; his breathing hot against her lips. Their eyes are closed as they both revel in the feel of each other.

"Oh god, I'm...oh Castle," Kate screams, as her walls clench around his shaft, she tightens her grip on his fingers, and her entire body stiffens as another orgasm overtakes her. Twice in one night, she's never had that happen before.

"I love you Castle," she whispers to him, still continuing to feel the after shocks of her second climax.

This is all it takes to send him over the edge.

"Kate, fuck, Kate, oh god, Kate, mmmm," Castle pants, as he shatters; and suddenly he explodes inside of her.

He trembles as he comes down from his apex. His breath is uneven, sweat glistening on his forehead, and slowly, he captures her lips again. He kisses her sweetly, taking his time, enjoying the feel of his mouth on hers, her breath mingling with his.

"Oh my god, Kate, what...how? I know this sounds corny, but I've never had one that intense before. God, you're amazing," Castle tells her as he takes his right hand away from hers to stroke the side of her face.

He slowly slides himself out of her and rolls off to her side. He lays on his back and she cuddles up to him, laying her head on his chest. She lightly strokes his side with her fingernails. He brings his arms up around her, drawing small languid circles on her back and kissing the top of her head.

"I love you Katherine Beckett," Castle smiles.

"I love you too, Richard Castle" Kate breathes out with satisfaction in her voice.

Kate is exhausted. It's been a long day. There is more to investigate tomorrow, and a lot to think about in regard to the changes in her personal life. She smiles as she thinks about the giant leap she has taken with Castle tonight.

She begins to ponder what this change in their relationship might mean. What implications it could have; especially in her professional life.

"Castle, please don't take this the wrong way, but I think we should keep this between us for now," Kate yawns.

"I understand Kate; I think that's a good idea. Besides, that just means I get to keep you all to myself for a while," Castle concedes.

"I like that." Kate says, now barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Me too. I love you," Castle breathes.

"I love you too Castle," Kate replies.

"Good night beautiful," Castle tells her as he kisses her temple.

"Good night love," Kate mumbles as she drifts off in his arms.

Tomorrow she'll worry about how to handle the details of where this leaves her professional relationship with Castle. Tonight, she is going to enjoy being in his arms, loved, and safe, feeling happier than she has in years.


	2. Chapter 2

**I had planned on this being a one-shot story, but some people requested that I write a second chapter, so, here it is. This second chapter is a little dirtier than the first, not super bad (there is a steamy shower scene) - but the language is less romantic and a little more dirty (definitely M rated language in this chapter) - so, if you don't like that, you may want to skip this part of the story. **

**I definitely appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism. If you leave a guest review, please know that I very much appreciate your feedback - it's hard not to be able to thank the people behind the guest reviews because you guys are often extremely helpful. I hope you enjoy!**

Castle wakes to the sunlight streaming in through the window. He curses himself for forgetting to close the curtains tight last night. Although, he was a little distracted with certain events that took place. He smiles as the memory of the night before rolls back to him. To his delight, Kate is still snuggly wrapped in his arms, so he takes a moment to enjoy the warmth of her body next to him. She's peaceful and gorgeous in her sleep.

He slowly turns towards the nightstand to see that it's 8:37am. He knows that she still has some investigating to do today, but considering they didn't make it to bed until after 2:00am, he wants to let her sleep, just a little while longer. He rolls back over towards her, careful not to disturb her. Snuggling up to her, he puts his nose into her hair and breathes in her scent. She smells divine, she smells like his. He begins to drift back to sleep again when he feels her stir next to him. His grip tightens when she tries to pull away from him.

"Castle, I'm sorry, but nature calls, I really need to go to the bathroom" she tells him with regret in her voice.

He groans. "Ugh, ok, but don't take too long love."

"Castle, it's almost 9am. I need to finish up my investigation here today, and my flight leaves at 7:00 tonight" she reminds him.

"Does that mean you aren't coming back to bed this morning?" he asks her.

"Unfortunately, yes, that's what it means. I need to get ready, and head out to interview a couple more people who could help me crack this case. I'm going to take a shower; care to join me?" she stands up and seductively slides across the room to the bathroom door swaying her hips provocatively. When she's at the door, she places her hand on the frame and looks back at him with a devious grin before disappearing into the bathroom.

Castle can't move fast enough. He jumps up off the bed, nearly tripping as he becomes tangled in the bed sheets. When he makes it to the bathroom door, he catches her naked form slipping into the shower. He's not quite sure how clean they are going to get this morning, since he feels more aroused now than he was last night. _How can that be possible?_

He walks slowly over to the shower and opens the door. He slides in behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. The water beats down on his back, soothing his sore muscles from last night's love making.

"Mmmm, what took you so long lover?" she teases him.

"I almost killed myself on the bed sheets getting in here, sorry to make you wait" he kids.

She turns towards him, and looks up at him through her lashes. She bites her bottom lip and runs her fingers over his chest and his shoulders.

He runs his hands up her sides and down her back, water streaming through his fingers as he stops on her ass and pulls her towards him.

"Mmm, someone is happy to see me this morning," she smiles as she backs her hips away from him, allowing her to get her hands around his erection.

Castle sucks in air through his teeth at the feel of her hands on his cock. "Oh god Kate, the way you touch me, it's exquisite."

With one of her hands she grabs the bottle of body wash and pours a few drops onto his length. She continues stroking him, up and down, lather building, her hands sliding easily along his shaft. He closes his eyes tightly, and begins breathing heavy. He lightly bites her collarbone and licks the water off of her shoulder. He brings his hands up to her breasts and begins massaging them. His mouth finds hers as they kiss passionately under the water.

Kate lets the water run down on his length, rinsing off the soap she just lathered on him. She slowly sinks down to her knees and takes him into her mouth.

Castle trembles, "oh...my...god, Kate, holy...damn woman that feels so good" he stutters.

She circles his tip with her tongue and then opens her mouth to take him in as far as she can. Her fingertips gently graze his balls as she tastes every inch of him.

"Beckett, you need to stop, I can't...I'm going to," he tugs at her hair to coerce her to stand back up.

She releases him from her mouth, stands back up and looks into his eyes. She smiles shyly at him before kissing him chastely.

"Mmm, I hope you'll let me finish that sometime, I would like to taste every bit of you Castle, every single bit" she seductively tells him as she kisses his jaw.

"Someday Kate, but not today. Today I need to be inside of you, I need to feel you shatter around me."

"Mmm that sounds nice Castle, I want that too." She begins stroking his length again, running her fingernails along his scrotum and kissing down his chest.

Her touch makes him lose control. He can't play like this anymore. It's as if the animal inside is woken up. He pushes her up against the tiled wall, his mouth finding hers.

"Ah" she gasps as she breaks their kiss, "Castle...wall...cold" she stammers, pushing him back just a bit to get her skin off of the wall.

"Sorry Kate, I just can't get enough of you, I want you, I'm never going to stop wanting you" he looks at her hungrily.

He turns the shower head so that it begins streaming water down the wall and her back.

Slowly his lips find hers, he nibbles her bottom lip and she opens her mouth to him. Their tongues dual for dominance. This is much more heated than last night, they are hungry for each other. He places one hand on the back of her thigh and lifts her leg. She curls it around his waist and his hands begin wandering down to find her wet and tight. He gently runs his thumb over her swollen clit, and slides a finger inside her.

She moans, "Castle, we are never going to get out of here if you keep doing these naughty things to me."

With that, he moves both of his hands to her hips and lifts her up as he pushes her against the wall again. She wraps both of her legs around his waist and can feel his erection at her entrance. He won't let her sink down just yet, and he continues to hold her up without pushing himself inside of her.

"Tell me what you want, Kate." he tells her, closing his eyes as his forehead rests against hers. His breathing ragged and shallow.

"Make love to me Castle" she whispers, placing her forehead against his as she closes her eyes.

He opens his eyes and pulls back to look at her. "I don't think that's what you want Beckett. I don't think you're being honest with me." he stares at her with a lust filled intensity.

She understands what he's doing, what he wants from her, and she likes it. She is incredibly turned on now with this little game he's playing. "Rick, I want you to fuck me. Fuck me against the wall until I can't walk. Show me that you really want me. Make me believe it." she breathes.

He smiles, knowing that she's ok with playing a little dirty this morning. He looks at her, she's beautiful, her hair is wet and hanging limply by her perfect skin. Her cheeks are flushed with her desire for him; her hazel eyes are dark and filled with lust. He waits, making her whimper.

Beckett decides to take the heat up a notch and gets feisty with him, she can see that it's turning him on. "C'mon Castle, what are you waiting for? I need you deep inside of me. I need you to pound me senseless. Do you want me or not?" she teases him with a serious tone to her voice.

His mouth drops open, and without any words, he pulls her hips down hard and impales her. They both loudly groan as their bodies join together. Kate leans forward and kisses him hungrily. Their lips moving together, fast and furious, tongues circling as they work themselves into a frenzy of tangled arms and legs while Castle pounds her up against the shower wall.

Trying to keep his balance, he places the palm of one of his hands on the wall. He breaks their kiss to get some air and lays his head on her shoulder panting.

"Kate you feel so good, you are so wet. God, I'm close." he grunts.

"Oh my god Rick, it's so deep, so deep, I'm there, I'm, oh god, I'm cumming," she screams as she shatters around him. She lays her head back against the tiled wall; her walls tighten and her breathing is heavy and shallow.

Castle can't hold back anymore, as soon as he feels her walls clench around him, he loses all control. He speeds up his trusts and empties himself into her, plunging as deep as he can to feel every sensation. He groans loudly as he rides out the last of his climax.

"Oh god Kate, you're a naughty girl, I like it" he says with a grin.

"I've never done that before Castle, that was fun." she says, as he lowers her down and gently slides out of her.

"You've never done what? Shower sex? Or dirty talk?", he looks at her inquisitively.

"Well, neither I guess." she says, shyly as she looks away from him.

"Hey, no need to be bashful. My god Kate, you're amazing, at both...at everything. I've never felt anything this intense before, physically or emotionally. You have nothing to be shy about." he tells her, lifting her chin with his fingers.

"I can't believe we just took this to the next level last night. It feels like we've been doing this forever. You know my body and my desires so well." she says as she embraces him.

"Well, it's not like we just met Kate, I know you, I've loved you for a long time now, and I've paid attention" he says, winking at her.

"Clearly Castle, I've never wanted anyone the way I want you. I'm having a hard time keeping my hands off of you." she says with a giggle.

"Well, I am ruggedly handsome" he begins peppering her with light kisses.

"So I guess that having a **hot**," _kiss to the temple_,

"**sexy**," _kiss to the jaw_,

"**amazing**," _kiss to the neck_,

"**extraordinary**," _kiss on her lips_,

"woman who cannot keep her hands off me is just part of the gig." he broods.

She smacks him on the chest, and kisses his lips. "I think it's time to get going, there's still work to do today" she tells him, smiling, but disappointed that she can't continue with their shower escapade.

"Well, you have been quite dirty this morning, so let me help you clean yourself up a little." Castle jokes with her.

He takes the shampoo and lathers her hair. Her hands find his in her locks and together they massage her scalp. She leans her back up against his chest, and her head against his shoulder. She feels his arousal coming to life again against her skin.

"Castle, we can't; we really do need to go, so you need to put that thing away for now." she tells him as she turns to meet his eyes.

"I know Kate, I'm trying, I'm not doing it on purpose. I just can't help what happens to me when I'm around you. Before this...us..._together_, I could just hide it behind my jacket, or a bag, but you've always done this to me. Now I get to touch you, feel your skin against mine, it's next to impossible not to have this reaction." he confessed.

"Here, let me wash your back Castle" she blushed. "I love that you have this reaction to me. It's incredibly hot, and I want this, I'm never going to get enough of you now either, but let's save some of it for later, when we get home to New York, ok? I have something planned for you, and you won't be disappointed." she teases him seductively.

"Oh really Detective Beckett, would you care to give me any hints for what my evening holds?" he asks her, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Let's just say we'll be needing my handcuffs, some whipped cream, and your dining room table for starters." she turns her back to him, not waiting to see his mouth drop open in surprise.

"My god woman, you were right, I had no idea!" he tells her, taking a breath, not realizing he'd been holding it.

They finish washing each other slowly with the loofah, taking extra time to linger on each other's sensitive parts. They kiss passionately, tongues mingling, and then embrace as the water streams over them. Finally Castle reaches back to turn the water off. He opens the shower door and grabs Beckett a towel. He grabs one for himself and they slowly dry each other off, their eyes never leaving each others.

"Thanks Castle, that was nice." she said, looking at him shyly.

"No, thank you Kate. You're amazing, and I have a feeling you're going to continue amazing me in the days to come. I can't wait." he said, kissing her gently on her forehead.

Beckett smiles at him and then turns to walk out of the bathroom. She makes her way back across the suite to get her clothes from her room. As Castle finishes dressing, he heads across the suite to find out where they are headed today. Kate doesn't hear him approach, so Castle stands in the doorway watching her dress and thinks about how much his life has changed in less than a day. He is amazed by the strength she has shown in the last 12 hours.

She catches him watching her, "Hey there stalker, can I help you with something?" she jokes.

"Kate, I just want you to know that you can trust me, with everything. Our secret is safe for as long as you want and need it to be. I will always be here when you need me Kate, always" he explains to her with complete sincerity.

"I know Castle, I'm sure about this. It's taken me a long time, too long, but I'm sure, and I want this." she crosses the room to embrace him.

She gives him a gentle kiss on the nose and walks back over to her bed to put on her shirt.

He leaves her to finish getting dressed. As he sits on the couch in the suite lobby, he smiles as he thinks about what has transpired with Beckett over the course of the last day. He can't wait to head home and explore more of their relationship, and discover each other in a whole new way.

Kate puts on her make-up and blow dries her hair. She finally has something positive to focus on and be grateful for in her life. Navigating the complexities of this new development in her relationship with Castle might be tricky, but she's looking forward to sharing her life with him. She feels relieved to know that she can share the sorrow, the burden, and the joy that is sure to come in the days, and hopefully, years ahead.


End file.
